History of Spurs in Specific Objects

Many an inanimate item has proved an important stepping stone in our emergence from our formation in 1882 right up until the present day. This month we look at tour pin badges from the 1950s.

These days the marketing paraphernalia associated with any sporting event can be diverse, detailed and particularly specific. But back in the Fifties in was more basic and general in its outlook.

Take these pin badges, for example. While the earliest one was produced for an FA visit to Canada the later two marked our own tour of the area in 1952 and again in 1957.

Both the Spurs ones are particularly interesting because they represented something usual at the time. It was rare to acknowledge any trip abroad in this way and that would have made them a popular item – and quite collectable today.

In 1952, Arthur Rowe’s Tottenham team had just finished as runners-up to Manchester United in the title chase. And the fact that Spurs and United would meet up for two exhibition games on this subsequent tour would have made both a major attraction to the region.

It was a busy schedule for our players but they responded with goals all the way – and maintained that run by inflicting big defeats on United in Toronto and then New York.

The tour started with a 7-0 victory over the Toronto and District FA on May 22 in Toronto where Sonny Walters, Len Duquemin and Tommy Harmer all scored twice.

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